Ain't No Mountain High
by Stargirl4
Summary: *UPDATED* NEW Chapter 8, after a LONG break. A Monica and Chandler fic set in season eight. With Rachel's pregnancy, they begin to question their relationship. Please READ and REVIEW!
1. Listen, Baby

Ain't No Mountain High  
  
Author: stargirl*  
  
Author's Note: This one's for Monica and Chandler fans mainly, but also for Rachel baby fans. What the hell, everyone will enjoy this. Please read and review. Oh yeah, and I don't own them, I only Matthew Perry in my dreams.  
  
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Chapter One: Listen, Baby  
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"What's that supposed to mean?" Rachel glared at Ross over the top of her very pregnant body as she lay on Monica and Chandler's couch. "Are you calling me fat? I'm pregnant with your child, if you hadn't noticed."  
  
Ross held up his hands as he looked around for support from Monica, who was also in the room. "I just asked you if you wanted some of the pie."  
  
"Yeah right..." murmured Rachel as she looked down at her baby book that she was filling out. She was a week overdue and her belly was bigger than ever. Everyone was ready for the baby to come, nobody more than Rachel herself. "I'm done having this baby inside of me," she had often complained. "I'm just ready to be a mom."  
  
"Still having the mood swings..." Monica remarked to Ross as he sat down next to her at the table. "She's been like that for the past month."   
  
"Have not!" yelled Rachel, who had overheard from the couch. "And anyway, you would be like this too if you had a watermelon stuffed up your rear. It was supposed to come out like a week ago!" Monica walked over to Rachel and rubbed her shoulder in the reassuring way that she always did.   
  
"At least you have one..." Monica muttered beneath her breath.  
  
"What?" asked Rachel, not hearing what Monica had said. Rachel suddenly gasped, clasping her hand to her mouth. "You think I'm fat too!" Monica quickly convinced Rachel that she hadn't said anything about her appearance.   
  
"Well," announced Ross, standing up and walking over to help pull Rachel's big body out of the couch, "I suppose it's time we get Ms. Sunshine over here to her home. The doctor said that since she's overdue, she needs to rest. The baby could come at any time now, couldn't it Rachel?"  
  
Rachel grasped Ross's outstretched hands and was pulled to her feet. She rearranged the shirt she was wearing. "Yeah, if it ever comes. It'll probably be stuck in there until it's ready to leave home and have kids itself." She waddled past Ross to get her coat. "And what's with this rest thing? What do you think I was doing laying down on the couch? Dancing? You're not my mother, Ross."  
  
Monica hugged Rachel and said goodbye to her friend and her brother as they left the apartment. She laughed as she heard Rachel complaining to Ross all the way down the hall. Monica certainly didn't envy him. He had been getting an earful lately. Rachel had a full-blown case of pregnancy mood, and Monica had heard horror tales of living with pregnant-Rachel.  
  
She closed the door as the leant against her wall.  
  
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"Honey, I'm home!" Chandler laughed at his remark as he took off his coat and hung it up on the rack. "Monica?" he ventured again, hearing no response. "Are you here?" Chandler jumped over the couch and walked over to their bedroom door. "You're not planning a special surprise for me, are you?" A grin on his face, Chandler threw open the door.  
  
Monica was standing at the foot of their bed, gazing into a full-length mirror. Beneath her shirt, she had stuffed one of their bed pillows. Monica gasped as the door opened. She quickly removed the pillow and dropped it on the ground behind her. "Hi sweetie," she said nervously, suddenly straightening the bed sheets. "I didn't hear you come in." She walked over to Chandler and gave him an uncomfortable "hello" kiss.   
  
"Hey, Monica," replied a confused Chandler. "You want to tell me what's going on?"  
  
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End Chapter One. Please review! 


	2. No Matter Where You Are

Ain't No Mountain High  
  
Author: stargirl*  
  
Author's Note: This one's for Monica and Chandler fans mainly, but also for Rachel baby fans. What the hell, everyone will enjoy this. Please read and review. Oh yeah, and I don't own them, I only Matthew Perry in my dreams.  
  
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Chapter Two: No Matter Where You Are  
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Monica racked her brain for an explanation. 'What will Chandler think?' She began to speak, but Chandler began to talk again himself.  
  
"Why are you so nervous? Is everything all right? And why is that pillow on the ground?" Monica let out a sigh of relief. Chandler hadn't seen after all, she had been too quick for him. She picked up the pillow and set it onto the bed. "I'm sorry sweetie," she walked back towards Chandler, "Nothing's wrong, everything's just fine." She gave her husband a long kiss on the lips.   
  
"Mmm..." he sighed, sinking into the kiss, "I suppose I forgive you for not answering me." Chandler smiled at Monica as they pulled away from the embrace and the two walked hand-in-hand to their living room.  
  
As Monica sat down on the couch and snuggled up close to her husband, she decided to bring up the subject. "So," she began, "have you talked to Rachel lately? Isn't it just wild knowing that two of our best friends are about to have a baby?"  
  
"Yeah," Chandler said as he put his arm over Monica, "she got mad at me because she thought I was insulting her baby when I told her I liked her dress yesterday." Chandler let out a small laugh. "Man! I'm just happy to get away from pregnant women and come home to you."  
  
"Right..." Monica murmured as she removed Chandler's arm and sat upright. "But won't it be nice for her to have her daughter after it's all over?" She emphasized the sentence, as she was a bit stressed by now.  
  
"Babies." Chandler's nose scrunched up as he stated the word. "I remember my aunt's baby from when I was a kid. She was always pink and smelly and cried all of the time."  
  
Monica bent over and rested her head on her hand. She had been worried that Chandler didn't want children quite yet, despite the fact that she desperately wanted them. And she didn't want to make Chandler do something he didn't want. Seeing Rachel pregnant only made it worse. She had always thought that she would be pregnant before wild, no-commitment Rachel. Monica had always been the calm one in high school, the one who was anxious to settle down. It just wasn't fair.  
  
"Are you sure you're all right, Monica?" Chandler asked again. He was worried about his wife. She had been out of it for the last few days, but it seemed to be getting worse. Chandler leaned over Monica and began to rub her back. He was surprised and upset when she pushed him off of her and stood up.   
  
"I'm just not feeling well, that's all," she said weakly. "I think I need to go out for a little while, get some fresh air."  
  
Chandler didn't know what else to do but to let Monica go. He watched as she took her coat and purse and walked out of the door.  
  
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Monica wandered around the city for quite a few hours, into the dead of the night. A bit later, she found herself stopped in a little bar on a corner, seated atop a bar stool, drowning drink after drink. "Goddammit!" she yelled, as she swallowed her fifth scotch, thinking about Chandler.   
  
"Are you alright, miss?" asked a voice next to her. Monica turned to find herself looking into the eyes of a dark-haired man who had been nursing his own drink.  
  
"Yes," she responded to him as she turned back around. But then she stopped. "You know what?" she asked, talking to herself more than him. "I'm not." She motioned to the bartender to bring her another as she told the man her story. Rather depressed himself, he listened politely. After a few more hours of drinking and talking, Monica left the bar to go home.  
  
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"Chandler..." Monica groaned in her sleep. "I need to talk to you... About a baby..." Monica rubbed her eyes and sat up in bed.  
  
It wasn't her bed.  
  
It wasn't her apartment.  
  
And the man lying next to her definitely wasn't Chandler.  
  
"Oh my god..." she whispered to herself as she looked down underneath the covers at her naked body. She lay back in bed trying to cope with her hangover as she also tried to remember what had happened last night.  
  
After she had started to walk home, it had started to rain. She had gone back to the bar. She couldn't remember much more than that. Monica groaned again. How could she have let herself get so drunk? How could she have done this to Chandler, her husband? Tears running down her face, Monica quickly got up and got dressed before whatever-his-name-was could wake up. She gathered her things, and rushed out of the man's apartment.  
  
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End Chapter Two. Please review! 


	3. No Matter How Far

Ain't No Mountain High  
  
Author: stargirl*  
  
Author's Note: This one's for Monica and Chandler fans mainly, but also for Rachel baby fans. What the hell, everyone will enjoy this. Please read and review. Oh yeah, and I don't own them, I only Matthew Perry in my dreams.  
  
EXTRA ADDED FEAUTRE: Alright, so I decided to include a little reader interaction in this fic. At the end of this short passage, I'll leave it up to the readers who leave reviews to decide what comes next.   
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Chapter Three: No Matter How Far  
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'What have I done?' Monica asked herself as she walked through the rain. The incident hadn't even fully registered with her yet. All she knew was that she slept with someone who wasn't Chandler. "Oh my god..." it finally came to her as she stopped on the sidewalk. The words in her mind came out of her mouth. As she said it, she began to understand. "I cheated on him. He's my husband. I committed adultery..."   
  
It was even harder for her now to deal with herself. She knew that she had been upset, depressed, and most of all, drunk. But there was no excuse for her actions. After all, Chandler had never actually come out and said that he didn't want children. It had been an assumption on Monica's fault. Not that she didn't have evidence to back it up.  
  
Once she had overheard a conversation he had had with Ross after they had found out that Rachel was pregnant. "I don't think you have anything to worry about, Ross," Chandler had told his friend. "You know that you're a great father. You've already proved that with Ben." Monica had been standing in the doorway. Ross and Chandler hadn't noticed her there. "I can understand how you're feeling," Chandler had gone on. "If it were me, I would be petrified. I'm just not what they traditionally label as father material, and I doubt I ever will be. But Ross, your kid's going to love you."  
  
Monica had left at that point. She had heard enough. The idea of never having children scared her as much as Chandler was afraid of having them. How were they supposed to be together if they didn't agree on that? 'How are we supposed to be together after I've cheated on my husband?' Monica thought in anguish.  
  
'And how can I bring myself to tell him?' Monica knew that she loved Chandler with all her heart, but she didn't want to break his.  
  
  
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READER PARTICIPATION PART:  
  
And the choice is:  
Should Monica tell Chandler thaat she slept with another man?  
  
Please respond! If this works out well, I might do more reader participation!  
  
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End Chapter Three. Please review! 


	4. Remember the Day I Set You Free

Ain't No Mountain High  
  
Author: stargirl*  
  
Author's Note: This one's for Monica and Chandler fans mainly, but also for Rachel baby fans. What the hell, everyone will enjoy this. Please read and review. Oh yeah, and I don't own them, I only Matthew Perry in my dreams.  
  
UPDATE: I loved all of your comments! I'm trying to incorporate a lot of the ideas. I'm definitely having more reader participation down the road. Oh, and in my original author's note I stated that I did not own any of the Friends. Well, I recently kidnapped Matthew Perry, and he is now my personal, secret love slave. Haha! You can't have him!   
  
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Chapter Four: Remember the Day I Set You Free  
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Monica's hand paused and quivered before it could reach the doorknob. She was afraid to enter her own apartment, their own apartment. She had broken the trust of the person she shared her life with. Although he didn't even know yet, to her it felt like she just didn't belong anymore. What she had been a part of was no longer hers. She took a deep breath as her thin hand rested on the cold metal knob. As always, their door was unlocked. She turned and pushed forward.  
  
"Chandler," Monica called weakly to the empty room. She waited for his head to pop out from the bedroom of the bathroom, but none came. She was alone. Her face red from dried tears and wet from the tears that still came, she slunk onto the couch, clutching her stomach in disgust of herself.   
  
Her soft brunette hair had barely met he pillow when she sat up to the sound of the door opening. Wet from the rain that Monica too had walked through, Chandler burst inside, looking frantically about. Sighting Monica on the couch, he rushed to her side, wrapping his strong arms about her as he stroked her hair. "You're all wet..." he murmured, carefully removing her soaked coat.  
  
This seemingly simple comment turned Monica's heart to glass as it fell to her stomach. He wasn't concerned about where she had been last night. Or who she had possibly been with. His primary motive was the same as it always had been. To take care of her, his wife.  
  
Monica opened her mouth to cry out, but he pressed a firm finger to her mouth and wiped her eyes, taking charge for once. "I was out looking for you," he started painfully, "when suddenly I knew I was in the wrong place. I knew I belonged here, where I somehow knew you would be." Chandler's own eyes shone with wetness as they reflected his worry.   
  
If this is how he reacts to my leaving, how can I possibly tell him what happened? It'll only break his heart... Monica thought. But she knew that despite this, she had to be honest with him. She would lose his trust, but she needed to begin to regain it. Keeping her brief drunken affair a secret would not be the answer to restoring what they had.  
  
This time it was Monica who silenced Chandler with a finger. She held his hand loosely with her own shaking hand as she led him to the couch and sat down next to him. "I have to tell you something..." she said softly, as she looked into his confused eyes. They were the same eyes she had begun to fall in love with three years ago in London. So much had changed because of that one night, and now it was happening again. One night was about to change everything.   
  
"Last night, I ended up at a bar," she began.   
  
"Oh my god..." Chandler muttered. "Are you alright? Nobody tried to hurt you, did they?"   
  
Monica pushed him away as he tried to hold her in his loving embrace. Adultery was the last thing on his mind.  
  
"No," she shook her head slowly. "Listen Chandler, I don't know any other way to tell you this than to just come out and do it. Last night, I ended up sleeping with another man."  
  
The confusion in his eyes turned to pain. "Is this some sort of sick joke, Monica?" he asked. He knew it wasn't. Her hand covering her mouth as her eyebrows knitted up with the tears, she shook her head.   
  
Chandler stood up, his face showed his disbelief. His hand went to his head. He couldn't comprehend what was happening. The woman that he had pledged to be with forever had pledged her body to another last night. "What I am supposed to say in response to that, Monica?" There was no response. Monica collapsed on the couch. She knew that she should go to Chandler, tell him something, but she didn't know what. So she watched as he absorbed the shock. Alone.  
  
No one should be alone.  
  
Finally, Chandler turned back to face Monica. "Why?" he asked simply, his face streaked with hot angry tears.  
  
She shook her head. "It meant nothing. I was..." But she still didn't feel comfortable telling Chandler why she had been so upset the other night. "It's nothing you did, Chandler." She stopped. What could she possibly say that could make the situation more bearable? Nothing.  
  
The uncomfortable silence continued until Chandler finally spoke.  
  
"I'm sorry, Monica, but I have to go." Without a word, Chandler turned and walked out of their apartment. Away from Monica. He didn't know what else to do. What was there to do? It's not as though he prepared what to say in case Monica ever cheated on him. His mind buzzing in angst and anger, Chandler walked alone in the streets. And up above him, in the apartment he had just left, Monica lay on the couch. Alone as well.   
  
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End Chapter Three. Please review! Did it happen the way you expected? 


	5. I Told You You Could Always Count On Me

Ain't No Mountain High  
  
Author: stargirl*  
  
Author's Note: This one's for Monica and Chandler fans mainly, but also for Rachel baby fans. What the hell, everyone will enjoy this. Please read and review. Oh yeah, and I don't own them, I only Matthew Perry in my dreams.  
  
UPDATE: Matthew Perry, my love slave, and I are getting along splendidly. As always, please review.  
  
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Chapter Five: I Told You You Could Always Count On Me   
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Chandler rushed through the hospital doors. He quickly asked the front receptionist for directions, and ran off again towards the elevators. He impatiently punched the button for the second floor and tapped his foot as the metal box slowly rose. He was through the doors before they had barely opened. He only stopped his mad rush upon seeing Joey in the waiting room.  
  
"Where is she?" he asked with excitement.  
  
"Rachel's in room 237, just down the hall." Joey answered. "Ross is in there with her."  
  
Chandler patted his friend on the shoulder. "How are you holding up?" He knew about his best friend's feelings for Rachel. They had never really gone away. Chandler knew how Joey must be feeling. It was the feeling he had known for the past five long days since he had stormed out of the apartment. The feeling of needing someone who is so close, but having something else in the way. In Joey's case, that something was the fact that Rachel didn't return his affection despite their closeness. For Chandler, it was the other man, whoever that other man was.  
  
Joey nodded, a small smile on his face. "I'm alright. I just still can't believe that Rachel and Ross are going to be parents together." His head tilted as he looked at Chandler with concern. "What about you? Have you... um... talked to her?"  
  
Suddenly fascinated by the shine on his shoes, Chandler shook his head. "No." It was simple. He didn't feel right. What could he say to her? He wanted with all of his heart to forgive her, but didn't know how. He recalled the letter he had written her.   
  
Monica,  
When I woke up today, I could smell the smell of your shampoo coming from the bathroom. Then I remembered. The only smell I was left with then was the stench of cigarettes left over in the hotel room. It's the little things I miss. Like today, I had a tuna sandwich for lunch. Normally, I would have come home and told you that. I couldn't. You can't imagine how much not being able to tell you about my sandwich hurt. Or not being able to tell you about the new assistant at work who broke the copier. But if I could talk to you now, I wouldn't tell you about shampoo, sandwiches, or copiers. I'd tell you that I love you. And that I will always love you. Someway, somehow.  
  
Chandler  
  
Chandler didn't send the letter. How could he? Despite how much he wanted to, how could he tell her that everything would be okay, when he didn't know that was the case? A thought suddenly crossed his mind.  
  
"Is she here now?" Of course, it would be logical for Monica to be present for the birth of Rachel's baby. How could he face her?  
  
Joey shook her head. "No. Phoebe tried to call her, but nobody answered. She didn't answer her cell phone either. We're not quite sure where she is."  
  
Before Chandler could speculate on his wife's location, he saw Phoebe coming down the hall. "Hey guys," she greeted them cheerfully, handing Joey one of the coffees that she was carrying. "You'll never guess who I ran into on my way to the cafeteria." She looked at Chandler. "Oh..." Her cheerful appearance turned as she looked to the floor.  
  
"What?" asked Chandler.  
  
"I ran into Monica in the hallway," she murmured. She didn't want to hurt Chandler with reference to Monica, and realized what their meeting would mean. She had forgotten about what had happened between her two friends. It was so unexpected, it was easy to forget. "I told her about Rachel. She said she'd be up after she finished something else."  
  
What was Monica doing at the hospital? Chandler knew she didn't mention anything about an appointment. He would be seeing her soon. Chandler's stomach turned up in a knot. He was dreading seeing the person who had once been the only one he wanted to see.  
  
Phoebe, Joey, and Chandler's heads turned as Ross emerged from one of the rooms down the hall, all decked out in hospital garb. As he walked toward them, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Well," he announced, "Rachel's still giving them hell. The baby's still pretty reluctant in coming out. God, I thought she was moody before, but now you really don't want to be within her firing range."  
  
"How long has it been?" asked Phoebe.  
  
"About five hours now," Ross responded with a groan.  
  
"Hah!" exclaimed Phoebe. "I beat her, and I had triplets!"  
  
Just as the mood was beginning to lighten, Chandler saw a beautiful dark-haired woman walked toward them out of the corner of his eye.   
  
Monica.  
  
From the way she was walking, it was obvious that she had sighted Chandler and was as nervous as he was. Chandler looked away and stepped a bit away from the group as she joined them. The two tried to act as though nothing was wrong, but no one was buying it. Even when Monica asked Ross what was going on, the other three friends just looked back and forth between the couple.  
  
"ROSS!" A scream came from down the hall. "Get your fat dinosaur-loving butt in here!"  
  
"Duty calls," stated Ross, giving the others a weak salute as he ran down the hall and back into the room. "I'm coming, honey!"  
  
By this time, Chandler had taken a seat in the corner of the room. Uneasily, Monica adjusted her purse on her shoulder and sat down five seats away from him. Not really knowing what to do, Joey sat down nearby Chandler and Phoebe nearby Monica. All that was left to do was wait.  
  
So, they waited. And waited. The first few hours, the group tried to entertain themselves by reading the magazines in the waiting room. Joey tried to get Chandler involved in a game of table top football, but Chandler's heart just wasn't in it.   
  
After Rachel had been in labor a total of nine hours, Monica took a nap. Chandler couldn't help looking at her as she slept. At her perfect face, her perfect body. Her lips moved slightly as she breathed in and out. Every so often, she would move slightly in her chair. I should be holding her, thought Chandler. She should be sleeping in my arms. When Chandler returned from a trip to the bathroom, he almost went over to sit next to her out of habit. But things were different now.  
  
Twelve hours of labor. Every so often, they would hear Rachel call out from down the hall. She was indeed, as Ross had put it, still giving them hell. And from the sounds of it, the "them" included Ross. The few times he was able to escape from Rachel and rest briefly in the waiting room, he was always red and out of breath.  
  
Chandler walked down the hospital halls, his mind elsewhere. He stopped in front of the glass window, behind which lay the rows of newborn babies, looking out at the world in their little blue and pink caps. He saw a couple that was standing in the hallway on the other side of the glass-walled room looking adoringly at one little guy in a blue cap. The man pushed his nose up against the glass, making faces.   
  
His brow furrowed in concern as his head turned to see another looking through the opposite facing glass.   
  
Monica.  
  
She was waving at the babies too, but hers was not an expression of joy. A sad melancholy look swept over her face. Chandler felt her pain as he looked upon her pain. His head turned abruptly as he saw Phoebe rushing toward him. "Come on!" she exclaimed. Briefly, before he turned to rush towards Rachel's room, he looked back at Monica, who was now looking up as well. Their eyes locked for a moment. The way she looked that very second would be held in his mind forever.   
  
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End Chapter Five. Please review! By the way, I know what you're thinking, but you're wrong! 


	6. From That Day On

Ain't No Mountain High  
  
Author: stargirl*  
  
Author's Note: This one's for Monica and Chandler fans mainly, but also for Rachel baby fans. What the hell, everyone will enjoy this. Please read and review. Oh yeah, and I don't own them, I only Matthew Perry in my dreams.  
  
Author's Note; part 2: Reminder: this is a fanfic. As you will note, the circumstances in this chapter, including the baby's name, do not match up with the season finale.   
1. I thought she should be named differently. And the Joey thing would be confusing.   
2. It's fanfiction. I like to keep it that way. I started on a tangent; I will end on one.   
3. I love power... -evil laugh-  
  
P.S. I know this took forever to continue, but this chapter was extremely hard to write, as it is important but it was also the one hole I hadn't filled yet. But don't worry, after this, I know what's going on. Anyway, I'm not sure if I did the situation proper justice. Let me know.  
  
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Chapter Six: From That Day On  
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'She's gorgeous...' thought Chandler, as she looked down on the small life that rested in Monica's arms. But what was truly stunning was not Andrea, Rachel's baby girl, but Monica herself. She seemed to radiate from within as she smiled down at the newborn. A smile. Chandler hadn't seen her smile in what seemed like ages. For those few moments, all circumstances were forgotten as Monica looked up around the room, even at Chandler, glowing with pure joy. Chandler didn't even flinch as Monica handed him Andrea and he took her lovingly in his arms.   
  
"I'm so proud of you sweetie," Monica whispered as she bent over Rachel and smoothed Rachel's hair.  
  
The only smile in the room that beat Monica's was Rachel's. "Yeah," Rachel said smugly, "I did do rather well, didn't I?" She looked at Ross. "He wasn't much help, though. Your brother gets grossed out easily."   
  
Ross, although still a bit green, was looking down with a goofy look at his new daughter. "That's mine..." he stated, his simple words filled with wonderment. "I never imagined I could create something... something so beautiful." He took Andrea from Chandler, and stroked her few soft hairs upon her round head, rocking her slightly.  
  
Monica's eyes turned from Rachel to rest upon Chandler who was standing next to her. He looked rather strange; his mind was obviously elsewhere. A strange chill came across the room. Suddenly, and without a word, Chandler strode out of the hospital room.  
  
Monica looked around at her other friends. What had just happened? Time seemed to seep through Monica's mind as she stood there, looking at the door. Everyone else was silent. After what seemed like eternity, Rachel spoke up. "Go find him, Monica!"   
  
Then, in an instant, it all made sense. Of course that was what she was supposed to do. Chandler was her husband, her life, her soul. Whatever she had to do, however she had to do it, Monica had to fix things. And Monica rushed out the room.  
  
"Chandler!"  
  
Looking around the waiting room, Monica was greeted by perplexed faces, none of which she knew. She sprinted down one hallway, almost knocking over a white-suited doctor. Quickly, she turned down another, searching for Chandler's dark hair among all the rest.   
  
He was nowhere to be found.  
  
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End Chapter Six. Please review! 


	7. I Made A Vow

Ain't No Mountain High  
  
Author: stargirl*  
  
Author's Note: This one's for Monica and Chandler fans mainly, but also for Rachel baby fans. What the hell, everyone will enjoy this. Please read and review. Oh yeah, and I don't own them, I only Matthew Perry in my dreams.  
  
Okay, and I know, it took me forever and a day to update, but I was waiting until fanfiction got its issues sorted out.  
  
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Chapter Seven: I Made A Vow  
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"Monica?" There was a loud knock at the door. "Monica!" The loud rap came again. "I'm coming..." A groggy voice came from the other room. Hauling herself out of bed, Monica made her way to her apartment door, opening it to reveal Rachel.  
  
"Oh god, sweetie, have you been sleeping all day again?" Rachel stepped into Monica's apartment, holding Andrea, who was sleeping, in her arms. Monica didn't look like her usual self. Still in her nightclothes, her hair was matted and her eyes puffy. In the month since Chandler had left from the hospital, Monica's daily regimen consisted of eating and sleeping. After what happened last time, she had stayed away from alcohol. Monica had scoured the city with the help of the others, but there was no sign of him. His parents didn't even know where he was. When Monica had arrived at their apartment that night, there was no note, but Monica saw that a suitcase was gone, as well as some of Chandler's clothes. Monica wasn't quite sure she blamed him. She had, after all, betrayed his trust.  
  
But that didn't help the pain she felt when he was gone.  
  
"Monica, I can't claim to know how you feel," Rachel said softly, rubbing the back of Monica's shoulder like she always did to comfort her friend, "but you need to do something other than sleep all day."  
  
"You don't understand, Rachel!" Monica cried out. "It was my fault. I made him leave. I pushed him away." It seemed that she was going to break down in tears, but she had no more tears to cry. She had no idea where her husband was. Or if he was ever coming back.   
  
That was what scared Monica the most.   
  
The idea that she might never see Chandler again.  
  
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The next night, Monica was once again awoken by a loud knocking at her door. Grudgingly, she slunk over to the door and opened it.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Rachel, Phoebe, Ross and Joey were all crowded around the doorframe, wearing idiotic smiles on their faces. Their intent was obviously to cheer Monica up.   
  
"Monica," Phoebe began, as the four walked into the apartment, "get dressed. We're taking you out whether you like it or not. We'll have a friends night on the town. You can't stay here forever."  
  
'But not all of my friends are here,' Monica thought sadly. But she put on a weak smile as Phoebe and Rachel ushered her to her room to pick out her clothes. She knew that Chandler's departure was hard on the others too. They too, had lost a dear friend. It was a rather strange situation. They were putting on a strong face for Monica, and now she was putting on a strong face for them. They were all lying to themselves.  
  
But what could be done? Nobody knew how to get Chandler back.  
  
And so Monica let her friends dress her up and cart her off to dinner.  
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"See, this is nice, Mon," Ross showed his sister into the restaurant. "We haven't really had a chance to all hang out together since the baby." They had arranged for a babysitter to watch Andrea that night.  
  
She nodded, but she obviously didn't agree. The waiter came and took their orders, as the piano player tinkled the keys in the background. The other four made an effort to keep up cheerful conversation, and Monica acted as though she was in the discussion, but she didn't hear what was being said.  
  
"You guys, I think I'm going to go ahead and take off. I'm a bit tired," Monica lied as she stood to leave.  
  
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End Chapter Seven. Please review!   
  
P.S. I'm throwing in a surprise soon! (VERY soon) 


	8. I'll Be There When You Call Me

Ain't No Mountain High  
  
Author: stargirl*  
  
Author's Note: This one's for Monica and Chandler fans mainly, but also for Rachel baby fans. What the hell, everyone will enjoy this. Please read and review. Oh yeah, and I don't own them, I only Matthew Perry in my dreams.  
  
And. a year later, I continue the story.  
  
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Chapter Seven: I'll Be There When You Call Me ***************************  
  
Then everything went dark. Murmurs of discontent rose up from around the room. "Electrical failure. maybe a thunderstorm. hope they get it fixed soon." Somewhere in the deep black, the piano hit a note, and set off as a spotlight slowly began to shine on the narrow stage at the front of the piano bar.  
  
A dark haired man was standing on the stage with his back to the audience as the piano began a song. Monica didn't need him to turn around to see who it was. She slowly sank back into her seat.  
  
"Perhaps you'll consider staying a bit longer now?" Ross asked with a grin. Speechless, Monica slowly nodded.  
  
On the stage, Chandler swiveled around on a chord, eyes reaching out to Monica across the room with a nervous smile. "Ohmigod." she whispered as she realized what he was doing.  
  
"Ain't no mountain high, no valley low, ain't no river wide enough, baby."  
  
Chandler's voice filled the room through the speakers as he began to sing. He hated to sing. Chandler Bing avoided anything where he had to stand up in front of other people. He always said he'd end up telling more stupid jokes and get sidetracked from his original purpose anyway. But there he was. Singing to Monica in front of a restaurant filled with people.  
  
"When you need me call me, no matter where you are, no matter how far."  
  
It didn't matter to Monica that Chandler was horribly off-key, because she didn't really even hear the song. She only saw him. Felt him. Wanted him. Her hands were shaking as the tears poured down like rain on a window.  
  
"Don't worry baby, just call my name I'll be there in a hurry, you don't have to worry."  
  
Chandler moved to the edge of the small stage and stepped down onto the ground, microphone cord dragging behind him.  
  
"'Cause baby, there ain't no mountain high enough; ain't no valley low enough; ain't no river wide enough, to keep me from getting to you, babe."  
  
He had reached Monica. The music seemed to fade away as he wrapped his arms around her and embraced her in a deep, slow kiss. The room exploded in applause and cheers from both their friends as well as complete strangers who had happened to catch the show.  
  
"Take me back?" Chandler whispered quietly in her ear as they stayed in a tight embrace. Monica opened her mouth to protest, to say that it was her that needed to ask for forgiveness, to make amends, but Chandler pressed a firm finger to her lips.  
  
"Take me back?" he repeated.  
  
"God, yes."  
  
************* End Chapter Eight - Epilogue to Come Please review! 


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